Kurdistan's budget share reaches 14%, KRG still not convinced

The Iraqi Federal Government has agreed to increase Kurdistan’s share of the 2019 budget bill from 12.68 percent to 14 percent, a source revealed.

In an interview with The Baghdad Post, the source further pointed out that a committee was specially formed to settle the 2019 budget share issue with Erbil.

The source, who spoke on condition of anonymity, however, said the Kurdistan region is still not convinced with this percentage as it seeks to return to the 17 percent budget share, especially after Baghdad and Erbil agreed to resume oil exports from Kirkuk.

The budget is roughly based on the population in areas administered by the Kurdistan Regional Government. However, lacking an official census since 1987, Baghdad relies on ration cards and other means to determine population.

For 2018, the KRG's share was effectively increased 14 percent after the parliament voted to allocate emergency funds into the KRG's share.

Politicians from the Kurdistan Region want to see their share of the budget returned to 17 percent, especially because the Kirkuk-Ceyhan oil pipeline is part-controlled by the Kurdistan Regional Government.